Gary O'Neil comes up against his former club with a point to prove, following his surprise sacking after ensuring what many saw as a miraculous survival for Bournemouth last season.
Looking back it may have been a blessing in disguise, with his former employers sitting in a lowly 19th place in the Premier League, while he sits a somewhat comfortable 14th.
For the hosts, things are not exactly going to plan. Despite appointing a new manager and spending in excess of £100m, following their American takeover, the Cherries look to be caught in a very fierce relegation battle. With an aggregate score of 10-1 across their last 3 league games, this will be a big test for the hosts.
As for the visitors, they are unbeaten in their last three Premier League games, including a resounding 2-1 victory over treble-holders Man City. A run which is bound to be a source of confidence for the visitors.
History dictates that this will be a challenge for Bournemouth, as they have beaten the visitors just once since 2015 (in the Championship!).
-
Team news
Bournemouth
The hosts have a number of injuries which will hamper Andoni Iraola's preparations for the match.
Tyler Adams has made just one appearance, in the EFL Cup, for the Cherries since joining from Leeds in the summer, but is once again ruled out through a hamstring injury until 2024.
Another new signing, Alex Scott, is yet to make his debut - having suffered an injury before even making the move to the South Coast. The promising midfielder is nearing a return to action but this weekend is certain to come too soon for the 20-year-old.
Both Ryan Fredericks and Emiliano Marcondes are suffering from lower leg injuries and are also unable to feature this weekend, with a return to action for the duo more likely in late November at the earliest.
Elsewhere in the squad, Lloyd Kelly is back in contention after recovering from a calf issue, while Phillip Billing could face a late fitness test following a knock.
Wolves
The visitors' only injury concern is Hugo Bueno, who will likely undergo a late fitness test to determine his level of possible involvement in the match.
There are a couple of other absences for O'Neil's side, however, with both Mario Lemina and Nelson Semedo suspended for the weekend.
With this in mind, Wolves will be very happy to have almost every player available for selection ahead of the fixture.
-
Likely line-ups
Bournemouth
Neto; Aarons, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez; Christie, Cook, Billing; Tavernier, Solanke, Sinisterra
Wolves
Sa; Kilman, Dawson, Toti; Doherty, Gomes, Bellegarde, Jonny; Neto, Cunha, Hwang
-
Key players
Bournemouth - Illia Zabarnyi
Illia Zabarnyi has been a revolution for the Bournemouth defence. Though he has struggled at times (as has the entire team), his overall consistency and ability have been very refreshing for the Cherries.
In a game where they are likely to spend plenty of time defending, the Ukrainian's performance could prove pivotal as they hope to avoid conceding any costly goals.
Wolves - Jose Sa
Jose Sa has long been a beyond valuable asset to Wolves - and this season has been no different. The Portuguese goalkeeper boasts an impressive 4.5 saves per game, and has prevented an estimated 2.24 goals in just the opening eight matches.
While Wolves will hope to control the game, it will be crucial to be solid in defence - which is where the 30-year-old shot-stopper specialises. He could quite conceivably be the difference for his team in what is going to undoubtedly be a close contest.
-
Match details
Where is the match being played?
This match is being played at the Vitality Stadium, the home of Bournemouth.
When is the match?
The match is being played on Saturday 21st October, and will kick off at 15:00 GMT.
How can I watch?
The game is not being televised in the United Kingdom due to the 3pm blackout rule. Highlights of the game will, however, be posted to both clubs' YouTube channels shortly after full-time.
VAVEL UK will also bring the latest content from the fixture, with a match report and post-match reaction to come.
